The sun burned high over the desert. Hot winds full of sand scratched against his face. Buildings older than he could make out, but well preserved by the dry climate. A bazaar full of friendly enough locals and goods of all sorts. Smith was dreaming about the market again.

It was hot. Sweat turned to steam and evaporated off of Smith's forehead. Even in full kit sand had still managed to work its way into every single crevice of his body and his gear. Grit irritated the creases of his neck every time he turned his head. Not even his boots were safe. The fine grains filtered their way through his socks and turned into a sensory hell between his toes. Every step, sand crunched against the soles of his feet and slowly mixed with sweat to turn into a coarse paste. It robbed him of his focus for just a moment before he came back to.

“I don't like sand. It's coarse and rough and irritating and it gets everywhere” he licked his dry lips and spit some of it out of his mouth. 

“Really…?” Sarah didn’t miss a step and barely acknowledged what he said. 

The drop ship landed about a quarter of a klick away from their primary destination. Sarah said something about not wanting to scare the locals. Smith didn’t really care, she didn’t make the place sound that bad. She had obviously lied. 

He was never given the full briefing for the mission, just the cliff notes: Friendly locals, hot climate, sand, light winds, medium settlement -END REPORT-

In the distance you could just start to make out the tips of a large wall from over the dunes. Heatwaves bounced off the hot ground putting ripples through the image. Illusions of water created by the phenomena spanned the distance left to travel before them. 

“Not far now Chris!” Sarah marched cheerily ahead, chin pointed to the sky, as if she was unaware of the horrid conditions.

“Not far from what?” Smith paused and waited for an answer but before she could speak he added “And don’t call me Chris.” 

“Ookay Smith” Sarah teased in a voice obviously mocking how much of a stick in the mud he was being and not answering his original question. “Shouldn’t be more than a couple minutes a’walking before we get there. That is, if we’re not lost. You know, it’s always hard to tell in places like this. Can’t really get clear images to chart a map from orbit. Sandstorms obscurin’ the view and all.”

Without turning her head she looked back with her peripherals as if specifically to see the effects of her taunting. She it her cheek to stifle a laugh.

Her slight southern accent could be just as coarse as the sand in this desert. Scratchy but with an undeniable sweetness to it. It got twice as noticeable and three times as sour when she was angry. She vehemently denied having an accent of any kind and would debate anyone that brought it up. Smith didn’t mind it though. 

Smith stuck his tongue to the inside of his cheek and peered at Sarah from the sides of his eyes. He was very obviously stomaching a complaint. Just what she wanted. 

“Oh cheer up, I’m messin’ with you.” Sarah spun around and gave him a wink. She was now walking backwards through the sand as she talked to him. 

“I know exactly where we are. Do me a favor and look up towards the sun for a second and key part of the exercise, do not blind yourself okay?” She said playfully before she turned back around and continued to march through the sand. 

Smith stopped and looked up towards the sun. His sunglasses thankfully blocked out most of the light. 

Sarah spoke again as she watched him from over her shoulder. 

“You see how the sun is slightly closer to one side of the sky than the other? That means” Sarah pointed in the opposite direction of where they walked.

“That is the West and the otherrr way” she brought her finger up above her head and traced an arch from one side of the sky to the other. 

“is the East. The pilot dropped us off just due west of where we’re headed, meaning we're on course!” She said it matter of factly with a proud smile on her face and a strut to her step.

Smith looked down from the sky, shutting his eyes and sucking in on his lips. Exhaustion filled his voice “I have a compass, Sarah.” 

She didn’t miss a beat. 

“Welp, some of us actually like to have fun with things. Unlike you, pant shitter. She chirped back at.  

That broke him. A mixture of the heat and Sarah being Sarah slowly chipped away at his hard exterior. 

“It’s party pooper you fucking idiot.” he wheezed almost choking on his spit. Tears filled his eyes and an unfamiliar laughter crept its way up from his lungs before awkwardly bellowing out of his mouth. It sounded more like someone struggling to breathe than laughing. It was something he obviously didn’t do enough. 

Sarah looked back and took in the view. She watched as he threw his head back and covered his face with his hands. Embarrassed by the sounds he made. A fuzziness grew in her stomach. She’d hold on to that image. 

They walked on but Smith refused to let it go.

“There's no way you actually thought the saying was-“ Sarah cut him off before he could finish his sentence. 

“Hold that thought crap drawers we’re here.”

Smith wiped the tears out of his eyes and let the last bit of laughter in his chest die out. He looked up to see a massive gate stuck in the center of a sandstone wall. The wall spanned as far left and right as he could see and was at least 13 feet tall. Ornate wrought iron doors with the images of a garden finely crafted into the metal were already swung inwards giving view to the Bazaar. 

The sights, smells, and sounds were unlike anything Smith had seen before. He wasn’t sheltered growing up, hell nothing was handed to him. There just wasn’t a lot of love or life to where he came from. Something this market seemed to have plenty of.

Within the gates were lines and lines of stalls each selling a different good or offering a different service. Everything from fresh fruit and vegetables, clothing, jewelry, children’s toys, street food, and even some surplus Navy tech at least 30 cycles out of use. 

The center of the plaza opened up into a communal area. There were artists showing off their paintings and sculptures. Musicians busked and took coins from the passerby. Some people danced, others stood off to the side and just enjoyed the show. 

People darted in and out of stalls from one shop to another. Smith saw a group of children chase each other in circles around a produce stand. Fresh vegetables lined the table of the shop, each more colorful and fresh than they had any right to be. The wrinkled face of the shop owner, obviously aged by the sun, was adorned with a warm smile as he watched the children play. 

War had not touched this place or maybe it had and the people lived on in spite of it all. One thing was for certain they were happy. No advanced tech and no political machine. The hungry animal humanity so often made of itself was not present here.

Then why did she bring me? 

One of the children slipped and grabbed the edge of the produce stand on his way down. The whole table began to tip, wood cracked as the weight of the table was brought to one side. The leg of the table finally snapped under the weight it now supported, causing everything to crash to the floor with a sequence of loud clattering bangs. 

The shop owner began to yell. The child began to cry. The child's friends began to argue. The starter pistol had been shot and suddenly there was fire in Smith’s blood. 

The smile washed from his mouth and gave way to a far darker expression. His jaw clenched and eyes seemed to sink into his skull as a shadow fell over his face. Underneath, his gaze was filled with hate. An all too familiar drum beat had filled his head. 

Sarah had brought a wolf into the garden.

Muscle memory caused him to pull his pistol from its holster and raise it in a low ready position. He pushed past Sarah and shuffled his way inside the bazar clearing each corner of the entrance as he did so. 

“All clear.” Smith spoke concisely and with no emotions to his words. He clicked on his radio and began to describe what he saw past the gates. 

“3 military aged men, possible weapons, too far can’t tell. Funnel right side, hug the wall when passing. Kid on the roof. Look out? Stay behind me, not safe.”

“Chris, Chris stop it!” He couldn't hear her. 

She followed him through the entrance and grabbed onto the back of his vest with her right hand and yanked him forcefully towards her. Muscle memory kicked in again. He pivoted, arm swinging around hooking under her armpit. His left leg moved behind her lead hip as he craned her back over his knee, shoving his pistol against the side of her ribs. A modified hip throw he had practiced a thousand times.

“Chris” she managed to choke out. “Stop.”

He looked down in horror to see it was Sarah in his arms. The dark look on his face lifted and this time was replaced with surprise.

He dropped his pistol and lifted Sarah from the position over his leg helping her stand up. He took two steps back. Trembling and putting his hands out just shy of touching her like he didn’t trust his touch not to break her in half.

“Sarah…” he trailed off. Not knowing what else to say. His face twisted, he looked lost. He was blinking rapidly, guilt and fear bleeding out from his eyes as his breathing became more erratic. 

Sarah just stood there for a moment and collected herself, also caught off guard by what happened. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before she grabbed his hands.

“Chris” she spoke softly like he wasn’t something to be afraid of. 

“I shouldn’t have grabbed you like that, but I need you to hear me okay?”

Smith panted and his face twitched as he alternated between expressions.

“This is not a mission, you are not protecting me, and we are safe here.”

“I wanted to take you somewhere nice. Somewhere that means a lot to me. I should have told you that before we landed but I wanted it to be a surprise. Do you think you can calm down for me?” The tone of her voice slowly brought him back and put him at ease. 

Words began to flood from his mouth. “Sarah I’m sorry, you snuck up behind me. I didn’t know it was you. I wouldn’t… Sarah, I wouldn’t ever hurt you.”

“It’s okay Chris, do something for me. I need you to count backwards from 100 alternating breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth okay? Can you try that?” 

He nodded and shut his eyes as he followed her instructions. 

Smith counted backwards taking shaky uneven breaths between the numbers. “100, 99, 98, 97, 96” his breathing started to become more normal. 

“95, 94, 93…” he took one last large breath in and let the air out slowly from his lungs.

“Thank you. I.. that never happens.” He coughed. “I'm sorry for grabbing you like that.” Smith straightened his back as he regained his composure and tried to look more professional..

Sarah adopted a soft but stern tone. “Whenever we are back aboard the Hope you and I are going to set aside time for you to take leave. Not for what you did, for me not recognizing you needed to destress sooner than now. You must have family dying to see you, it’s been over a year since you came on board .” 

“No ma’am” he spoke as if the last hour didn’t happen and he was simply addressing his superior.

“Chris, speak plainly. Where would you go right now if you could choose.”

He looked conflicted again. Like he knew what he wanted to say but was struggling to get the words to come out. He shut his eyes to speak as if he thought he’d be in trouble for his answer.

“Here ma’am. I think I’d go here.”

Sarah's mouth opened slightly, as the most subtle look of surprise spread across her face. There was a short pause before she spoke.

“Now I can work with that.”, surprise fading into a warm smile and caring eyes. She brought her right hand up to cradle his chin. The size difference now glaring, like she was reaching up to grab something out of the overhead storage in her quarters. She looked up directly into his eyes. 

“Hmmm, you know we still got a lotta daylight to burn Chris. Now that my master plan is ruined and all it won’t be as much of a surprise, but I do still have a few tricks up my sleeve. A good captain always has a plan B. You think you’re up to it?”

“I’d like that very much” the words came out rushed and squished together. Smith was almost brought to his knees by the gentlest touch to his chin and a few sweet words. His cheeks were on fire. He reasoned it was sunburn.

   It’s just hot that’s all it is.

   “Alright cutie, let’s get moving then.” She pulled her hand away from under his chin and took a step back. Smith's head dropped to follow it not wanting to let go of her touch. When he realized what he had done there was no mistaking the heat in his face for anything else. He was definitely blushing.

“Yeah, for sure, don’t want to, um, lose daylight and all. Like you said. Best we get a move in, move on, I mean shit, fuck.” Smith stumbled over his words and his eyes darted around too flustered to meet hers.

“Mmmk lovely.” She was thoroughly enjoying the display.

“JUST WALK OKAY” Smith blurted out.

Sarah moved forward, her hips swayed as she passed him. She once again reached up her hand, letting her fingers run across the underside of his chin and along the line of his jaw, thumb wrapping round to cradle his cheek. “Come on guard dog” she let go again this time patting the side of his face as she walked by. Smith practically hovered her behind her.

They finally made it more than 10 feet into the market. No one seemed to have witnessed Smith's episode. Too caught up in their day to day to pay any mind. Sarah spoke as they walked. 

“So what do you do for fun when you’re not all” Sarah puffed her shoulders out and made a cartoonishly deep voice “Don’t call me Chris, I’m so tough, ra ra ra.”

He wasn’t amused. “First of all that’s not what I sound like, and second stop calling me Chris.” 

“Ohhh my god, we are not back to that again are we? You know, you didn’t seem to mind it just a few minutes ago.” She teased.

“YOU CAUGHT ME OFF GUARD! You know that’s not fair!” Smith's face was starting to get red again.

“All’s fair in love and war and war’s what we do isn’t it?” It sounded a lot sadder when Sarah said it got some reason.

Smith tried his best to come up with a response.

“War is what I do, you just fly the ship” the words came out of his mouth as if they were facts.

Sarah stopped dead in her tracks and turned around to face him.

“Try that little hip throw on me again” the words hung dead in the air.

“Smith I said-“

He cut her off. “Sarah that’s stupid, I’m not gonna do that, I’m over a foot taller than you and at least 100lbs heavier. I already told you it wasn’t on purpose the first time it happened.”

“Not the point and it wasn’t a question. As your captain I am ordering you to try it again.” Sarah was solid in her stance. 

“Fine. But remember you asked me to do this” he was obviously uncomfortable.

Smith approached Sarah, both of them squaring off about a foot away from each other. Smith had adopted an even weighted stance with his arms out in guard, Sarah didn’t change her posture at all. This time people noticed.

“Sarah, there are people watching.” 

Sarah didn’t even acknowledge him. She instead turned to the handful of people that had gathered and said a few words in a language Smith could not even begin to understand. The crowd responded with a series of claps and laughing. 

“What did you say?” Smith had actually started to feel a bit nervous.

“I told them that you’d been a bad dog and that I was going to teach you manners.” Sarah’s voice was completely cold but somehow Smith was more flustered now than before. 

“Okay, uh I guess I’ll just start then” 

Smith stepped forward trying to position his leg behind Sarah’s lead hip just like before. For just a second, right before he braced his arm against her chest, he showed her his back.  

Before he could even tell what was going on Sarah had dropped her posture and wrapped her arms around his waist. From there she used momentum and the force of Smith's movement to lift him up and throw him onto his back. All the breath forcibly left his lungs at once as his shoulders were pinned to the ground. Sarah roller from her back onto her knees and recovered almost immediately, getting up to dust herself off as if nothing happened. 

The crowd lost it with equal parts cheering and laughter. Seeing someone so small manhandle someone so large was no doubt the highlight of their day. 

Smith curled into a ball on the ground and gasped as he tried to bring some of the air back into his lungs. Sarah squatted down next to him resting on her knees. She used one hand to brace herself from falling over and placed the other on Smith's cheek as she gently caressed it. 

“You know, I don’t actually pilot the ship. But I do tell the pilot what to do, just like I tell the mess hall what to serve, and the combatives instructor what to teach.” She didn’t stop rubbing his cheek as she spoke, she just smiled and carried on as if she was trying to prove a point.

“Fair.” Smith struggled to get out. “Now can you please help me up, I think you really hurt my back.” He reached out for her hand 

“No problem big guy” Sarah said smugly as she reveled in her victory.

As soon as her hand met his Sarah knew she made a mistake. Smith quickly pulled her down onto the ground with him, rotating on top of her, knees straddling both sides of her chest. 

“That would make this move yours then I guess?” Smith actually looked like he was having fun. Physicality was one language he understood very well.

“Chris I’m gonna give you 3 seconds before I knee you as hard I can in the balls.” Sarah was having fun too, but she meant those words.

“Aw, who's the party pooper now?” Smith toyed, standing up from off his knees, pulling Sarah up with him.

“I dunno Chris, pretty sure I saw you shit yourself when I threw you on your back.”

A laugh bubbled up from Sarah’s stomach as soon as she finished her sentence. It infected Smith the moment he looked over and saw the rose tint that now colored her face. Bringing out her high cheekbones and complimenting her deep red hair. Her smile crooked to one side as she laughed. Smith realized in that moment just how beautiful she was. Not that he would ever say anything.

They both basked in the moment and enjoyed each others company. The crowd that had previously surrounded them dispersed having got their fill of the pairs play fighting. 

“Sarah you’re… you had more stuff to show me didn’t you.” He caught himself before he let the words leave his mouth. 

“Just a few more things. I still have a small grocery list to sort out. I wanted to grab some plants for my quarters, maybe a rug to make the place feel a bit more homey. You know, you should visit me sometime, when we’re back aboard that is. I could give you a tour.” She could not throw out any more hints if she tried.  

“I could probably manage that.” Warmth returned to his cheeks yet again.

Sarah walked ahead of him and reached out behind her, opening and closing her hand begging him to take hold. He hesitated, taking her hand would be admitting what was happening between the two of them. He decided to allow himself the pleasure, though he didn’t know what he did to deserve it. 

Sarah looked over her shoulder and smiled at him as their hands met. Their fingers stayed interlocked as they traveled through the market. He was almost too afraid to let go. Even as they picked over different knick knacks and antiques not once did either of them loosen their grip. Smith felt like he didn’t have to think so hard when Sarah was leading him around and Sarah certainly didn’t mind it.

“Can we stop here?” Smith gestured towards a smaller tent where an old woman sat on a bench whittling pieces of wood into different shapes. Animals alive and long extinct, spaceships, cars, and some of what Smith imagined were objects tied to the local religion. In front of her was a table where all her pieces of art were laid out. Amazing pieces of sculpture with details almost too good to be hand carved. Smith wouldn’t have believed it had he not seen her add the final details to a small carving of a dog and then set it on the table, patting its head as she did so.

“Sure I’ll just be over here. There’s just a few more things I want to pick at.” With that for the first time in over an hour their hands parted and though the heat was blazing, Smith’s hand felt cold.

He stepped inside and ducked under the entrance that sagged just a bit too low for him to walk through normally. His head still bumped into the wind chime that was hanging over the mouth of the tent. The impact caused light melancholic notes to ring out alerting the shop owner of his presence. Maybe that’s why it was there.

A post stood in the middle of the structure holding everything up. Wrapped around the post and spanning criss cross along the ceiling, a thin rope lined the inside of the perched top. Little crystal ornaments held together by wire hung all along the rope and cast multicolored lights along the walls of the old woman’s tent. 

He didn’t believe in myth but he would be sure not to tell the old woman his name. 

“Hi you have a beautiful shop” Smith greeted the woman. 

“maal barbaadda shororkeessaa” the woman did not look up to speak to him. 

Nice Smith probably should have guess she wouldn’t speak English

“Okay well I’m just going to look around.” 

Smith walked around the tent, he picked up and put down dozens of different carvings, appreciating the detail in each. How the woman worked with the natural grain of the wood to create the illusion of different colors, the fine little notches and accents that most people would probably overlook at first glance, and the amount of craftsmanship that went into each piece. 

At the end of the table Smith found a carving that particularly caught his eye. It was the woman’s most recent work, the one she had been tinkering on when he first entered. Chris reached out and picked up the figure of a dog. He paused for a moment looking up at the woman to make sure he didn’t break some unspoken rule before further analyzing the piece. 

It was shepherd to be more specific. The details were amazing, you could make out the lines of each strand of fur. The artist worked with the natural burls and coloring of the wood to make it match the dog's coat. You could just make out the little brave expression on the dog's face. 

He really wanted it. He didn’t know why, maybe he saw a bit of himself in the shepherdz Sometimes he felt like that’s who he was. Well trained, go here, protect this, attack that. You don’t expect a dog to think, just like most of the top brass didn’t expect Smith to think. They really weren’t so different. Maybe that was too deep. He just knew it made him happy and that it would be nice to keep in his bunk. 

“How much?”  He tried to get the owner's attention. 

“gara si’ool dhaqi seexanaa” the old woman said once again, not looking up. Still doesn’t speak English Smith

   He shouted for his captain “Sarah!”

“Gimme a second Chris, actually can you come help me with this.” She shouted back.

Smith put down the dog and once again tried to communicate with the woman. He pointed to his wrist to signify time, then rubbed his pointer, index, and thumb together to indicate money.

Rough translation: “I’ll be back in a second to pay” 

This time the woman just scoffed..

Smith exited the tent to look for Sarah. She was at the booth across from him trying to juggle two plants and a rug. The plants were… odd to say the least. One looked like a mess of vines and the other, well like breasts stacked on top of eachother. He would have thought flowers but to each their own. 

The rug on the other hand reminded him of an ancient cartoon he once watched as a kid. The memory was foggy but he remembered something about a genie and a prince.

“Will you please  take one of or even all of these” she obviously struggled not to drop something. The rug pinched under her arm as she held a plant in both of her hands. 

“I’ll carry the rug, you can handle the plants I think.” Smith reached out and took the rug from under her arm. Allowing her to relax a bit.

“Thank you very much Mr. Smith. What is it that you needed again? ” she asked.

“Sarah please don’t call me Mr. Smith again.” His tone was not the same light hearted complaining from when she called him Chris. It was more serious, like it really bothered him. 

“No problem Chris, I'm sorry. What did you need?” She was being genuine this time.  

“I need you to buy something for me. I’ll pay you, it’s just that no one here speaks English.”

“Duh, do you know where we are?” Sarah acted like he pointed out something obvious.” 

“NO SARAH I DON’T, REMEMBER?” He was being playfully agitated.

Sarah threw up her hands “Doesn’t matter at this point anyways. Of course I will, just lead the way. . 

Smith took the lead and walked her back to the carving shop. The dog figure was still right where he left it. He picked it up and gave it to Sarah. 

“Aw it’s cute, what are you gonna name him?” Sarah jokingly pet the little dog's head.

“Her.” Smith corrected. “and I think I’ll name her Cassie. I’ve always liked that name.”

“You really are soft under that crusty exterior ain’tcha Chris.” She looked at him with admiration in her eyes though her words were teasing. 

“Shut up and buy it for me.”  Rough translation: Thanks, I appreciate you. 

“Sure, but under one condition.” She held the dog by its head as if it teetered in the balance depending on his answer. 

“Fine, what?”. 

“No more shit about me calling you Chris.” She locked eyes with him waiting for what he’d choose. 

“Stopped caring a while ago, red.” Smith had once again taken notice of just how beautiful the color of her hair was. It was a short boyish cut. Navy standards. But still God, such a deep shade of red. 

“Red..? Are we using pet names now? That’s skipping a base or two if I remember where we left off right. I’ll figure out one for you too, don'tcha worry.” She winked at him. She had been winking a lot today. 

“Yeah I’ll probably regret this.” He sighed. 

“Oh definitely, now give me a second to talk to the lady and I’ll get your little puppy.”

With that Sarah turned to talk to the shop owner. They exchanged a few words that Smith still couldn’t understand. Both of them laughed, stopped and looked at Smith. 

The old woman spoke hoarseness in her voice from choking back laughter, “inni akka saree xiqqoo ti?” 

Sarah responded similarly, “eeyyee eeyyee, baay'ee ogummaadha.” 

The both looked away from Smith and back at each other then started laughing again. Sarah reached into her pocket and pulled out a few coins and placed them in the woman’s hands. She then went to grab the dog but the woman grabbed her wrist and held out her finger to say “wait”. The old woman began to rummage around in a box she kept hidden behind the table. It was obvious she found what she was looking for when she let out an “ahhhh” that much of the language was universal.

She opened up Sarah’s hands and placed something inside them, she then closed Sarah’s hands together and squeezed them tight. Mumbling a few things she then kissed Sarah's knuckles, patted them, then waved her with a smile and a nod.

Sarah smiled back, picked up the dog, and returned to Smith putting it in the front pocket of his kit. 

“What the fuck was that?” He was completely confused. Not upset just totally puzzled at what just took place

“She said she read you wrong originally and was sorry for not answering your questions.”

“She understood me!” Now he was upset. 

“She told me most people here don’t remember, but this isn’t the first time the Terran Cosmic Navy has shown up. Last time it wasn’t peaceful.” Sarah’s face grew dim.

“Why were you two laughing? What did she give you? He just had more questions.

“You’d have to understand the language to get the joke. It wasn't important.” Her face started to brighten again. “She actually gave me something to give to you. Close your eyes.”

“What, ugh fine.” Smith closed his eyes, following her directions.

Sarah unfurled a necklace from inside her hands, a gift from the old woman. A simple leather string with an emerald green crystal charm. She reached up and tied the string around Smith’s neck, the crystal hung just over his sternum.

“Okay you can open your eyes now.” 

Smith looked down to see what the new weight around his neck was. He picked up the crystal and analyzed it, holding it up to the sun. It almost looked like glass in the light, but it definitely came from the earth.

“She said it was for protection. She bound it to me, said wherever you go as long as you’re wearing it I’ll be there too.”

“You don’t actually believe that do you?” Smith scoffed at the idea. 

“It’s a nice thought Chris. Sometimes things don’t have to be anything more than that.” Sarah’s words pierced him deep.

Smith was at a loss for words and tried to recover. “It's very pretty Sarah. I’ll always wear it.” He said as he tucked the crystal under his shirt. 

“Alright guard dog, not much time left to kill, let’s make it count. 

They turned away from the old woman’s tent and started the trek back to where they came from. After making it about 10 feet away Sarah stopped and pulled a small tablet from her back pocket. She pressed a few buttons and Smith heard a small beep. 

“Why’d we stop?” He asked. 

“Just wait, you’ll see ” Sarah was always planning something 

In the distance Smith could see a path part through a crowd of people. The path started to lead straight to them. He could hear the faintest sound of hydraulics from inside the crowd. Smith felt a bit on edge but assumed it was Sarah’s doing so he stomached it the best he could.

Finally the wall of people in front of them huffed and grunted as they too were shoved out of the way to reveal a medium sized quadruped robot. It came up to about your hip and was at least 4 feet long. Bright yellow paint coated its frame and it looked like Sarah somehow managed to get a collar to stay around the things, neck…? It was a rectangle with legs, so the collar was really just fastened around the front of its body. A little bone shaped charm hung from the leather collar reading: Rex. 

Despite not having a face it somehow looked happy while it was perched on its back feet as it looked up at the pair. 

“Hii Rex, that’s a good boyyy.” Sarah was bent down onto her knees and talked to the little robot like it was her pet.

The thing couldn’t contain its joy upon seeing its owner and began awkwardly hopping up and down, spinning in circles letting out a series of chirps and buzzes as it did. 

“Okay, okay buddy, calm down. I need you to take my bag and this rug back to the drop ship okay?” The robot lowered and raised the front of its body a few times to signify a yes, little whirring noises came out with every nod.

Sarah unslung her bag from over her shoulder and wrapped it around a hook on the robot's side. Next she took the rug from under Smith's arm and placed it on the metal grid that lined the length of the robots back. She undid some bungee cord from the rack and secured the rug to make sure it wouldn’t fall off mid transit. 

“Okay buddy, we’ll meet you there in just a bit.” The robot just blankly looked up at Sarah as she spoke. Not moving a bit, as if it expected something else. 

“Ohh, I suppose you want this huh?” Sarah began to pat the underside of the little robots (head?). Rex responded by excitedly hopping side to side, from one pair of legs to the other. Obviously that’s exactly what he wanted.

“Now back to the drop ship, ya pest!” Rex trotted in a little circle and turned around before it walked away with its bouncy little steps. 

“You are absolutely fucking ridiculous you know that?” Smith was amused and not even surprised at this point. 

“Oh come on, you thought he was cute don’t lieee.” A toothy grin flashed across Sarah’s face as she spoke.

They continued walking, making their way past the food stands and the musciscians. The children from when they first entered the market had almost completely put the old man's shop back together. It was refreshing to see. Suddenly Sarah took a wrong turn. He had mapped out the market in his head perfectly with near total recall of the path they took coming in. Something was off 

Smith squinted, looked left and right. Are they being followed, is that why she’s breaking from the path. Has to be, she’s sharp. He was on the bridge of the Hope a month ago when she spotted a small combat group of 3 cruisers hiding in an asteroid belt just by the smallest glint of light from the lead ship's cockpit. All Smith saw was rocks before they opened fire.

Smith reached for his sidearm, the primal drum beat was back in his ears. 

“Easy now Jarhead, there’s one more thing I want to show you, just relax and follow me” she reached her arm back again, gesturing for him to take it.

This time he didn’t hesitate. He may not deserve this, but fuck what he deserves. He let himself have today. 

He grabbed her hand and squeezed it in his. Sarah took that as the green light and aggressively pulled him forward deeper into the bazaar. They moved quickly, faster than he could process. In and out of different tents, up and down different alleys, at one point Smith was pretty sure they walked right through someone’s house. All the while the heat in his chest built and built. It was like being on a rollercoaster next to the sun. 

Suddenly she stopped so abruptly that henearly ran into her back.

“Sarah what the hell I nearly tackled yo-“

Smith realized they had come to a clearing. In front of them a massive fountain, had to be at least a thousand, not two thousand years old. Ornate carved details. Limestone, marble, granite..? Smith couldn’t tell. All he knew was that it was ancient and the precision and work it would have taken to make, fuck it was absolutely astounding. 

Around them wasn’t much. Some weird looking trees, bushes, sand, some rocks.. The sun was setting now, it had just started to sink under the sands. Looked as if it was melting right through the side of the planet. It was a beautiful sight. He looked away from the fountain and back at Sarah. 

Sarah had perched against the fountain, her hip leaning into one of the bricks that made up the rim.

“This is one of my favorite places in the galaxy. I try to come here any time I’m on a mission close by. Figured you’d like the fountain. I’d never seen you drop the soldier act for as long as you did at that shop. It was nice to see.”

Sarah unzipped her jumpsuit down to her waist. underneath  she was only wearing a sports bra. 

“Sarah…” Smiths jaw was practically hanging open 

For the first time he let himself appreciate the different parts of her body. On full display he finally felt like he had permission. The way her green eyes looked brown in the light of the setting sun, how strong her shoulders looked despite her size, and the freckles that kissed the tops of her arms. He didn’t have the words to describe how he wanted to connect the dots between the constellations in her skin until he memorized each and everyone of them. He’d never thought of her like that before. Not until now. 

“You know my name Chris, good job.”

Sarah couldn’t help but laugh as she stood up from the fountain and walked closer to him, taking his hand again, and leading him back down to where she previously sat. 

“Go on then” she teasing him again.

“Sarah, thank you so much for today. I haven’t had fun in so long. I don’t think I’ve actually ever met anyone else like you. I want to have you around. I don’t want to stop seeing you. You’re so kind and beautiful and“ 

Smith's brain started to check out. His cheeks grew hotter by the minute and a heat swelled in his chest causing his skin to tingle. 

“Sarah, I really wanna kiss you. Can I kiss you…. please?” 

He was desperate. He needed it. His thoughts were cut off by her hand taking the back of his head, fingers scratching along his scalp playing with his hair. It felt electric. No one had ever touched him like that before.

“I’ll do the rest cutie, don’t worry”

He couldn’t move, not a single inch. Sarah leaned in pausing centimeters away from touching her lips to his. Just for a moment she wanted to bask in his hot labored breaths so furious with anticipation and yearning. “Who’s my sweet boy?”

Smith's whole body was vibrating, he couldn't help himself. He leaned in, whimpering into their first kiss, grabby hands exploring Sarah’s body. He couldn’t touch all of her at the same time and it was driving him crazy. Little moans kept escaping his mouth, he didn't even care.

They change positions. Now Sarah is sitting on the edge of the fountain with her back facing the water. Smith is standing, but barely. His knees feel so weak. He’s laying his body into hers. Right armed wrapped around her back and left hand reaching up holding on to the back of her head. Sarah, without breaking from the kiss, snaked her knee between his legs putting pressure on his crotch. 

“Ugh, ffuck”

Smith pulled away from the kiss and started nuzzling into the side of her neck “fuck she smells so good.” At some Point he must have instinctively started grinding into her leg, hips bucking back and forth as he rode her knee. He just needed a bit more…

“So gentle, such a good boy” Sarah coos into his ear, hot breath making his skin tingle. Her hands danced through his hair and along the back of his neck. Encouraging him to keep going. 

“Such a good guard dog. Is that it Chris? You just want to protect me, keep me safe?”

Smith couldn’t take it, the pace of his grinding picked up as he started to moan into Sarah's neck.

“Fuck Sarah, yes captain, yes captain, y-yess, I’m- protect you.”

He squeezed her tight pushing his face as hard as he could into her neck, hips now bucking slower and more erratic .

“F-fuck yes, Sarah please, I want, I wanahh”

The words were mush that fell from his mouth, too interlaced with moaning and want, to pass for a question or a statement, yet Sarah understood. 

“Go ahead sweetheart, it’s okay.”

Her voice was like a touch, caressing his whole body and especially his mind. It squeezed tthe different parts of his brain that controlled his will power and pleasure. 

Waves of ecstasy fell over him. He felt vulnerable in a completely alien way as he writhed unable to control the jerky motions that his body made. While he instinctively jutted and grinded against Sarah’s leg he lost track of all the noises he made. With one last thrust of his hips the motion slowed down to a stop. His head now lazily resting on her shoulder, almost dead weight. 

“Such a good boy.” Sarah pet the back of his head and rubbed her finger along his spine. “You want to lay down with me sweetie?”

Smith managed to nod into Sarah’s neck and with her help they both made it to the ground. Now laying on their backs looking up at the stars.  

Sarah reached out her hand and grabbed his. They laid there looking up at the stars for quite some time. Sarah would occasionally point out a constellation.

“This one is my favorite, Canis Major. It's supposed to be the largest of Orion's two hunting dogs. Kinda reminds me of you. ”

“Mhm” Smith was doing his best not to fall asleep.

Sarah rolled over on her side to look at him “Chris, do you remember when we first met?”

Smith's head was still hazy but he definitely remembered.

She continued. 

“You were sent to me for disciplinary action after starting a fight with an officer and 2 other crewmates. The officer couldn’t have known when he sent you to me that I just so happened to be watching the feed from the ships gym as the fight took place” 

Fucking Spears 

“I saw them hazing that private and taking it too far. There’s no way he could have lifted that much weight off of his chest, he couldn’t breath. I had my finger on the button to call the MPs and when I looked back up at the monitor there were three people on the ground and you were lifting the weights off of that poor kid's chest.”

“You are good Chris. You’re like me, you want to help people. You’re not like everyone else in this god forsaken Navy. Power hungry. They’d kill each other for the chance of fighting over scraps if that meant they moved even an inch up the ladder and for what…”

“It’s all pointless Chris, it’s unnatural. That’s why I like it here so much. This is humanity. Not space flight, not light speed travel, not conquering planets. Not hoarding wealth while we waste munitions that could finance a whole city by themselves, to glass planets full of people who have nothing to do with the power struggle that we created in the first place! She was shouting now, thick hot tears formed in her eyes but they wouldn’t fall.”

“We have to be better, hold ourselves to a higher standard, we won’t last long like this. It wouldn’t be a choice if I had my way….

“Promise me you’ll be better Chris.”

In a million years this would never be the conversation Smith expected to have with his captain, nor the opinion he expected her to hold. But something in him told him she was right. He would be better, for Sarah.

“I promise Sarah”

The dream rapidly started to collapse in on itself. The night sky became the dark background of an auditorium, the sand they laid on turned into a stage. Sarah was now positioned at an oversized podium giving some sort of speech, Smith couldn’t make out the words.

A tall leafy alien made its way past him up to Sarah. It was at least 13 feet tall, vines making up most of its body, tightly wrapped together like muscle fibers. It was elegant “she?” Was elegant. There was an undeniable calmness to her being here and where the drumbeats in Smiths head should have been so loud they drowned out everything else around him, there was instead a faint buzzing. Like waves crashing into the shore, or rain hitting a tin roof during a thunderstorm.

He couldn’t tell where the sound was coming from. Was it her? Was it inside his head? It made him sleepy and made the thoughts in his head move slow. The headache he always had and the pain he always carried in his shoulders and neck started to fade. Tension from years of stress fading into the blackness of the auditorium. Smith blinked. 

“That’s enough, petal. It’s okay, you can rest now. ” Suddenly he was standing on the podium where Sarah had been, now replacing her in the memory. She looked down at him, care radiated from her eyes. To call them eyes was a disservice, they were more like massive dark gray/white pearls. They swirled, like an ocean deeper than Smith could fathom. Waves crashing into each other over and over like a vortex dragging him deeper underwater. He couldn’t look away, the hum grew louder and louder the longer he stared. 

“That’s not, you didn’t say that in the video.” Smith realized something was off, but it felt so nice he didn’t care. 

“Little one, why do you fight so hard. You don’t have to. I could make you happier than you could ever imagine. You would not want for anything if you were mine. What is it that you’re so afraid of?” A vine slinked its way under Smith”s chin and the large alien leaned down to be face to face. This was not the Affini from rebel propaganda. She looked genuinely concerned. Like she was sad to see him like this. she was looking at him like he was a hurt animal. 

Tears started to build in Smith’s eyes and his throat became tight. He only realized he was sobbing when hot tears began to roll down his face.

“Everything, I’m afraid of everything.” He stammered, struggling to get the words to come out, practically choking on them. 

“Oh petal, I’m so sorry.” The Affini moved her vine from underneath his chin to wipe away his tears. He looked so pathetic. 

“It won’t be long now. Just be a good boy and wait for us okay?”  The alien squinted her eyes and turned her head to the side as she smiled. Smith choked back his sobs and leaned into her touch. 

As he lingered in the Affinis embrace he noticed from the side of his eye there was someone at the end of the stage. He did his best to focus his vision. He could just barely make out a woman in a short pastel dress with something around her neck. Wait…

“SARAH!”

Smith woke up screaming in a cold sweat, gripping the crystal around his neck. The sheets were completely drenched. It was just a dream. 

“Why the fuck did it feel like that. Why was Sarah dressed like that? What the fuck.”

He reached into the pocket of his coveralls and managed to fish out his data pad. Immediately opening the encrypted file hidden in its memory and starting the video again.